Twas the Night Before Christmas in the Mayoral Mansion
by OnceIfellfortheEvilQueen
Summary: My first attempt at a SQ fiction. Time of year indicative of contents. Join the magical pair as they enjoy this special time of year! I can't guarantee every reader will get what they want, but hopefully my little festive sELF can please a few of you girls and boys! (Lost the good VS bad list so it's pot luck now!) Best of luck and wishes to you all! Sheriffs Tape: BEWARE of CORN!
1. The Holiday Operation

Thanks to OUAT, I found this site and have subsequently been transported to many magical lands by some beautifully crafted stories. In turn, I have also been "taken away to the dark side", in terms of turning my readers mind to writing, by an inspirational writer goes by the name justlovebt. If you like SQ feels, read and relish in her romance ridden yet truly torturous tales! Started this on Christmas Eve so can guess my other inspiration lies there eh! Hopefully you will enjoy the formation of the words ahead my fellow fan fiction readers! All characters within are creatively owned by ABCs Once Upon A Time although in my murky mind these two belong to one another!

Sheriffs Tape:** WARNING!** Profanities lay here there and everywhere like ( insert expletive here) pine needles . . .

**'Twas the Night Before Christmas in the Mayoral Mansion.**

**Chapter one: The Holiday Operation.**

**Mayoral Mansion: Sometime in the Future!**  
**Christmas Eve.**

"FUCK!" . . . . A shortish pause . . .

"SHIIIT!" . . . . . . A stretchy silence . . . . .

Not a creature stirred until a snicking of heels breaks the quiet, causing an echo in the large minimalist space outside the festively decorated and gift laden lounge, then came to an abrupt stop.

The sleek haired owner of the footsteps keenly observed the scene before her. Smirking slightly as her focused chestnut eyes drew their path over the hunched seated female figure, finding her tapered fingers fumbling in their futility to do as they were so obviously bid.

Continuing with an almost evaluating expression, her liquid chocolate gaze flows upwards and finds a feature that forces a flash of a smile to light up her full lips. Resting for slightly longer than she wills herself to, on the tongue tip protruding to the left of the other woman's lips, which is tensely jammed between teeth due to her mostly clenched jaw. Now mesmerized beams hover over squinting turquoise, laser-like eyes that express sheer concentration, also coating every aspect of the blonde's form.

"Aaarrrggghhh! SCREW THIS!"

The petite pantsuit donner watches intently, expertly stifling a laugh from near the doorway, as the exasperation flies off the other like escapee reindeer and glances briefly at the garish colored items in her lap which hastily and erratically follow with the cursing woman's angry uprising.

The brunette makes her move slinking panther-like towards her intended prey, sneaking behind her still with perfect poise. She gets close enough to inhale the scent of her seemingly oblivious victim and a sly smirk sways her lips to the left languidly.

The hunted figure suddenly tenses and whirls around to meet her face to face, with a somewhat pained look as she pulls her still bleeding right thumb from her mouth with an uncouth popping sound. Comically wide turquoise globes, stare into the ironically captured huntress' own and both sets sparkle dangerously.

"This is freaking **craptastic** Regina!"

The taller, lithe blonde bursts out.

"I know you're like **royally** pissed 'coz I broke one of your stuuuu . . . "

A minor hesitation as her mouth adjusts its shape accordingly, but rambles on regardless.

" . . . rules but cooommmme ooooonn, let me use my get out of jail free card, just this **once** huh, this . . "

She waves her arm, wildly pointing.

"is like **complete** torture?!"

The dark beauty surveys the strewn mess tutting.

"**Language** Miss Swan! And this was in fact YOUR choice Dear, I gave you a multitude of options if you recall!"

A haughtiness adding to her deeply chastising tone, she continues.

"Are you asking to be "LET OFF", as you so would so **eloquently** put it hmmmm?!"

"Jeeez 'Gina, I've been sat here for hours, if I carry on you'll be able to use me as a freakin' human **pin** cushion!"

Emploring eyes trap the mirth filled ones as she also verbally pleads.

"I'll make it up to you . . . . . . **Pwommiiise**!"

Speaking the latter in a sing song style, whilst stepping in her tight blue jeans towards the curvy, formally fashioned woman, like a lawyer approaching the bar to offer a plea to the judge, she rests her slender hands firmly on perfectly posed hips.

"**You** Miss Swan, are a shirker of your responsibilities and **believe** me Dear, I shall ENSURE that you shall atone for your many sins!"

The regal ness rolls off every shapely inch of her as she wraps her arms around the graceful neck before her.

"**As** for your promise . . ."

She smoothly leans into the blonde, their lips meet, gently as soft waves where an undercurrent of passion rages and their sensitive mouths appearing to relish merging just as much as they grudgingly parted a few magically charged moments later. The brunette now eyed the blonde in a decidedly predatory manner as she continued, her sultry tones sailed through the air, easily aimed at her close range target.

"Emma . . . . ."

Turquoise eyes twitch with heavy anticipation and a smirk sets sail across the smug blondes mouth.

"**Later** Dear, . . . when I've finished picking out your loose stitches from your inept knots and completed Henry's Christmas Day costume . . ."

Emma's face fell like an unexpected avalanche of features.

"Goodness** knows** why he wants to dress as an ELF though, they're just evil little fairies in frightfully alarming attire!?"

Shaking her head, Regina's frown lifts like steam off hot coffee rising, as she locks eyes with Emma and smiles warmly back, becoming suddenly suspicious of the now widely grinning blonde who takes her leave immediately and heads straight for the door.

"You should check your e-mails before we go to bed 'Gina, Henry sent you some kinda Holiday thingamabob!"

Emma just makes it out before sniggering to herself, shoulders shaking as she wanders up the staircase to check Henry's sleeping soundly after his jittery excitement earlier. She couldn't wait to witness the look of utter bafflement on her Lady's face when she opened the surprise festive e-card she had helped their Son create earlier.

To watch and maybe even sneakily record, her true love's features morph in gradual comprehension at their beautiful family's photo shopped happy faces stuck on Santa's elves. Regina watching in absolute horror at their excessive jigging about and singing nasally to a overly festive tune and hoped to enjoy one of those enchanting fully open smiles that Regina showed on tantalizingly rare occasions, usually when at her most relaxed which Emma was working on to become more of a regular thing.

It occurred to her how comfortable she was, living together here with both Regina and Henry. She felt like she had finally found, been welcomed even, to her home with an allocated parking space for all of her time worn parts.

Emma was **pretty** darn sure she'd love the surprise in the end though, despite her expected but now endearing remarks, **WAY** more sure than she was about tomorrow and Operation Five Gold Rings . . .

TBC


	2. The Snowball Effect

Sheriffs Tape: **WARNING!** Profanities lay here there and everywhere like ( insert expletive here) pine needles . .

**'Twas the Night Before Christmas in the Mayoral Mansion.**

**Chapter Two: The Snowball Effect.**

"Like **Mother**, Like **Son**", Regina thought to herself as she sat on the luxurious couch in the uncharacteristically untidy lounge, littered with ripped wrapping and presents galore.

Smiling as her eyes flicked between the two in her view like an avid spectator at a tennis match, her shapely legs furled up comfortably with flexing fingers fondling the gleaming apple pendant hanging from the golden gifted necklace from the beautiful blonde before her. The night before, her lover had not only **kept** her promise of making it up to her, she had made her feel like she was **all** that mattered, which meant the world to Regina.

She loved watching the two **most** dear to her playfully interact, giggling and snorting while fiddling around with that infuriatingly noisy video game. Henry had pleaded incessantly for it using that inherited puppy dog eyed look to his full advantage against her, which **of course** had worked.

She sighed softly, knowing that once upon a time, she would have been overflowing with anger, jealously and resentment towards the then irritatingly attractive woman, who even then would have just been making up for lost time with the boy who had found her.

Many of the past few years events had been the most unbearable pain to endure, her **most** regretted choice which ironically aided the breaking of the curse, the guilt and grief caused to enact it, her unloving Mother's death, only **after** realizing love would have sustained her in life, were but a few of many.

A multitude of memories that haunted her heart and mind like vengeful spirits, **forced** her to exorcise her demons in her darkest days, not allowing her personal curse of past heart break take possession once again.

After having lost Henry in a variety of manners, Regina was thankful that in one particular instance, he had been headstrong, **just** like his other Mother, escaping her evil queen-like controlling clutches, using inappropriate means to arrive uninvited and then rather rudely blackmail his Saviour.

The woman had fought to help others, both willingly and selflessly. **Even** Regina, despite the castle-like walls she had constructed to contain her carefully manufactured way of life and the deviously planned attacks, executed to **defend **all that she had built. All of which the seemingly blundering blonde had destroyed, crashing in like a human wrecking ball, at first unwelcome to say the very** least**.

However, as her guarded walls crumbled, she noticed that the woman didn't actually behave as though an enemy, more loyal and courageous than her **own** knights would have in fact. So when eventually the fine dust settled, they both stood in the aftermath of another battle the chivalrous defender had yet **again** taken her side on, Regina had allowed herself to accept her knight in casual armour into her life, even if it was for Henry's sake.

That's what she let herself believe anyway. The time spent together with their son or not, managed to snowball, **as** did her feelings, so when the other obviously reciprocated, being the **surprise** instigator of their first kiss, instead of throwing themselves into the fray frantically, potentially putting them at risk. They took their time, like the recent snowfall, fragile snowflakes accumulated over time. Eventually becoming the way they were now which is happily and **almost** literally, snowed in together.

Their little family had spent their first Christmas together, enjoying everything that the **lucky** ones did at this time of year. Henry had looked very festive in the Elf costume she had expertly fashioned in **record** time and felt a bubble of laughter rise just thinking of the e-card he had sent, with Emma's help which explained her **slightly** more odd than normal behaviour yesterday evening.

Even the Charming couple themselves dropped in, invited of course however grudgingly, they didn't bother her **quite** as much anymore although she'd **never** admit to it and occasionally made a fairly snarky remark just to keep them on their toes. But Regina knew that it was **who** you shared this special time with, **not** how much one had that really mattered and so made the best of the odd situation for Emma and of course their Son.

"**REGINA**!"

The loud voice startling her from having been absorbed in her thoughts, she looks upwards quickly, nods at the speaker while swiftly moving to get up. For some reason, both Emma and Henry are all bundled up, stood in the doorway staring at her with the same perplexed look on their faces probably mimicking her own. She hadn't even noticed them exit the room, never mind re-enter.

"**Yes** Dear, no need to raise your voice!"

She said smoothing her lightly wrinkled clothing and glaring at Emma as though daring her to object.

"I can **assure** you there is **nothing** wrong with my ears! Like hearing your **private** telephone conversation earlier with Miss Lucas should prove!"

The comment flies as pointedly as one of Mulan's throwing knives out of the brunettes mouth, every intention of a creating a divergence from her being caught unawares whilst brooding, she saunters confidently towards her partner now wearing a horrified mask over her features.

"Errrm, whhhaaaa . . ."

Emma panics but thinks on her nervously shifting feet, and notices Henry appears to remember something as he turns and jogs out of the room.

"I don't know what you're on about Regina, we were **just** chatting 's all!"

"I forgot my new comic Moms!"

The boy shouts from upstairs.

Regina stops right in front of the obviously lying blonde, who now sports rosy cheeks that make her look like she's been playing some and shoves her fists into jean pockets hastily. Regina narrows her eyes consciously into a disbelieving squint.

"**Really** Miss Swan . . . ?"

Regina pauses knowing Emma is hiding something and lets her suffering last a little longer before haughtily adding.

"Can I **assume **you were discussing taking Henry to meet up with Miss Lucas this evening, as you're both wearing more layers than the amount of sugary snacks you EACH ate today which is a feat indeed?!"

"Actually yeah, you're coming too **right**?!"

Emma dodges the well aimed dig and proceeds to half ask, half tell the regally posing brunette, relief evident in her slower breathing before she regained her usual confident grin and swagger.

"If you move your **sweet** ass 'Gina, there'll be a hot chocolate with your name on it waitin' for ya!"

"I believe that a little more **persuasion** is required Emma . . ."

Splayed hands press onto the front of Emma's jacket as she moves her lips within a hair's breadth of her now rapt single audience members own. Stepping away suddenly and propping poised hands on her commanding hips with fervour, she speaks in a low dangerous tone.

". . . for me to IGNORE your secretive whispers during your call earlier, hmmm?!"

Eyes glinting and continue to do so accompanying the final throaty hum.

"Errrrhhh R-right, look 'Gina,"

Utter shock on being caught out morphs into that hopeful, longing gaze that Regina thought she just had to have practiced. The taller of the two tucks a lock of soft dark brown hair behind her lover's left ear, her turquoise eyes following briefly before returning to their chestnut counterparts earnestly.

"I know you totally **hate** surprises honey, but just TRUST me . . 'k, 'coz you're soooo gonna **love** this one!"

Regina had given in hesitantly to the woman she trusted more than **anyone **but still couldn't completely as just the thought that she would betray her made her heart heavy with fear.

She had quickly donned her cold weather apparel and Emma had driven them all in Regina's car to Granny's as expected, but instead of sitting in the warmth with her hands around a mug, Regina found to her annoyance that their hot chocolates' were ready on the counter in festive take-away cups.

Henry had wanted to stay as his Grandparents were also there co-incidentally and he made his way over to them talking their heads off, the image envisioned in Regina's mind for a split second as she thought the words and she smirked almost grinch-like to herself.

Regina **was** suspicious as to the behaviour of them all though; they seemed deliriously happy but slightly on edge, as though they'd ingested far too much caffeine and watched her elf e-card for tips on how to appear content in the holiday season. Quite frankly, it put her on tenterhooks which in turn made her act a little overdosed on coffee too. Her eyes darted and ears strained as she tried in vain, **thanks** to the charming pair's loud chatter with Henry, to listen to Emma's quiet conversation with Ruby from her seated perch near the closed door.

Stooping against the counter, while conferring in hushed tones with her waitress friend whose facial expression pretty much **howls** sly wolf, especially with her peering eyes and wide toothy grin. Emma glances across the diner quickly, taking pot shots at the agitated looking woman she adores without letting her sight zero in as she **knows** that Regina can read her like a book and she needs to keep her loaded secret locked down, for now anyway.

Jokingly ending the short but not quite short enough conversation with Ruby, the nervousness causing Emma to think of Leroy, getting completely rejected in an audition for Grumpy in the stage play of her Mother's life story! Emma grabs the large, doubled up, paper cups, nods firmly at her co-conspirator and turns and marches purposefully towards her impatiently waiting Lady.

"You ready?"

"Am IIIII ready?!"

The sitting brunette's petite shoulders lift as she draws in deep breath before carrying on.

"I am certainly READY to dish out your punishment, Miss Swan, I will **NOT** be kept waiting like a loyal PET, while you're off lollygagging with Miss Lucas yet AGAIN!"

The evidence of her lost patience apparent with the almost silent venom she spits out repeatedly, like a certain two headed cobra and Emma didn't miss it, in fact hit her right between the eyes, causing her to step back in wide eyed shock.

"Awwww 'Gina, I'm **really **sorry ok?!"

Emma tries to recover herself and the situation before the reason she's here, in many ways, sees her royal rear and orders her to return her home.

"I never meant to make you feel soooo errrh crappy, you **know **that right . . ?

Stepping closer again to the sexy crossed legged woman, she spies with her eagle eyes the tiny flicker of a smirk on Regina's luscious lips.

"You have limited time remaining Dear, to reveal this disorganized SURPRISE, before I surprise YOU with what I'M capable of . . !

Still sharp words ironically bluntly prod, at the now broadly smiling blonde who passes over the promised hot beverage and ambles towards the exit, pulling and propping the door with her foot while Regina rises and saunters past towards her Mercedes.

"Goodbye Henry Dear, I **suppose **I'll greet you at home later . . .?!"

Their Son was obviously in league with his other Mother and so she had spoken to him teasingly, looking back with her eyebrow raised knowingly, hearing Henry just before climbing carefully into the car with her warm cup.

"Byeeeee Moms!"

"Yeah, see ya later guys, have fun and **kid** . . . wish upon a star for me huh!"

Winking at her fellow plotter, before leaving, her left boot sole flat to the glass door letting it shut the door with a small click. After calling his farewell, Henry sat grinning like loon and brought his comic up quickly like a shield guarding his telling features.

Emma had got in the driver's side next to her regal and utterly unimpressed passenger and placed her cup in the allocated holder. She was so wracked with nerves, she had trouble focusing during the drive to their destination, but coped well despite the sighs of discontentment from her extreme right. And then they were there and that was when the nerves made way for panic like a car for a blaring ambulance.

TBC

Just one more . . . pwomise!


	3. A Royal Proposal

Sheriffs Tape: **WARNING!** Profanities lay here there and everywhere like ( insert expletive here) pine needles . .

**'Twas the Night Before Christmas in the Mayoral Mansion.**

**Chapter Three: A Royal Proposal.**

"If sitting in the car in the middle of nowhere is the **SURPRISE** Miss Swan, then you might as well take me home right **NOW**!"

Emma's head jolts as she hears the almost vicious voice and consciously relaxes her grip on the steering wheel, staring as the color returns to her previously white knuckles. Groaning heavily and feeling slightly nauseous, realizing her face probably **looks** like she's been on a rollercoaster ride too. She replies in a tone considerably more biting than the cold outside.

"**JUST** give me a sec' Regina '**KAY**!"

Steeling herself inwardly, as though psyching up just before a skydive, then shaking her head she realizes that thinking about that now sure wasn't helping her stress levels. Neither though, was taking her anxiety out on the woman she loves, whose feelings appear to mirror her own. An uprising of guilt fights and wins an internal battle over her shot nerves.

Emma knows that it was the heart clenching FEAR of the moments BEFORE a planned jump that scared her, NOT the exhilarating freefall, NOT the glorious gliding after the parachute finally opened or EVEN, the highly probable for her, rough landing. She'd played Grand Theft Auto enough to know that end part for sure!

This is exactly the reason she usually just** DID** stuff without a game plan. That way there's no time for over thinking things but most importantly, there's no time for her to PANIC!

Emma blinks away her hectic thoughts and twists to face Regina who sits primly as ever staring into the cars' beams of light which are causing an eerie effect in the spacious, woodland clearing as though a UFO hovers nearby, elf-like aliens waiting to abduct an unfortunate passer by.

"_Okaaaaay! Officially not watching _Sci_-Fi films anymore and staying the heck away from Santa's little helpers_!"

Emma thinks to herself as she shivers imagining the alien elves.

Now focusing on the woman next to her fully, leaning to reach over, she lets her fingertips trail over smooth fabric coating the brunette's legs, creating a twisting path towards her target. With watchful eyes on the woman she desires to win over, **almost** sure the brunette is just being her usual stubborn self now. She takes a risk and places her other hand on a tense thigh, then squeezes gently. She's not quite sure who she's trying to reassure more, but as her lover visibly relaxes, now **knows** she's got a pretty good chance, of her surprise strategy helping achieve her goal tonight.

Fingers meet and skilfully yet playfully collide, eventually locking tightly together. Both women's eyes fix on the one who makes them feel their weakest and strongest simultaneously.

"Sorry for acting like a **TOTAL** ass!"

"Calm down Dear, **NOW** have you actually made a plan and if so, get on with it?!

A softer sound to both their voices now, as the older woman's mouth briefly but knowingly greets the others' now silent one and leans back, gaze expectant.

"**RIGHT**, turn around to face your window and close your beautiful eyes!"

Regina acknowledges Emma's re-found authority and the look on the blonde's face that announces her confidence as though with a loudspeaker.

After receiving her instructions tilts her head in slight bewilderment, alongside a growing smirk and the once Queen turns her head with her own regal air of authority and waits.

A clicking, then rustling and Regina feels a silky texture slipping over her eyelids with pleasing familiarity and feels fingers teasing her hair before tying up what she knows to be a blindfold. Probably newly bought, as she severely doubts Emma could find theirs', her sheer inability to put items back in their proper place, genuinely perturbs her. She emerges from her thoughts as warm breath caresses her left hand, followed by a tender kiss upon it.

"Let my hand be your guiding light 'Gina, and no snarky comeback is permitted by the way, so shhhh!"

The brunette's already slightly parted lips, feel a warm pressure from a decisive digit and heeds the gentle warning. Furiously trying to hide her rising blush as a barrage of conflicting thoughts reign down on her focus, until she can hardly retain her self control which is mortifyingly evident as her voice rasps hoarsely out.

"EMMA, . . . your precious time is running out!"

"Just bear with me sweetheart 'kay!"

She hears a clunking and then the car engine stops, a clicking, then the popping of the driver's side door, while Emma hums a tune that Regina muses on irritably as Emma often insists on listening to this band's so called music or rather holding an at home concert!

Emma had been leading Regina for precisely 30 paces now, after a brief stumble at pace number 26 and automatic curse from the sheriff, who quickly recovered her composure considering Regina's girlish giggle. Her hand now securely held and a slight pressure maintained on the small of her back, over her jacket and guiding her with **obvious** care.

She is encouraged to slow to a stop and to sit down, gingerly lowering to a very comfortable chair by the hand changing position, resting on her left shoulder. Once she is in her seat, both hands leave her, Regina hopes to do something **surprising** while she automatically crosses her toned, adorned legs. The anticipation is palpable in the cool silent night surrounding them.

"What on **EARTH** . . . . Do I detect the scent of **BAKED **goods Miss Swan?!"

Regina inhales deeply mid question, placing her hands at the end of found armrests and proceeds in a well-practiced air of the snarkiest sort.

"**NEED** I remind you that the last time you **TRIED **you're hand at cookery, you **ruined** the oven as well as whatever your concoction was **INTENDED **to be Dear?!"

"Awwww, you **SAID** you weren't gonna mention it again 'Ginaaa!"

Whining voice alters to a decidedly low, breathy and teasing tone.

"You should be able to smell the **SWEETEST** things I could think of . . . and I'm not talkin' about **YOU** honey, so guess!"

"Hmmm . . . I **DO **believe I recognize the enticing aroma of freshly baked Christmas cookies!"

Her senses right on the snowman's carrot nose so to speak, she's also as certain as to how jittery she is, **hence** the images in her mind but can't place the other smell immediately.

"Aaaannd . . .?"

A pregnant pause after the higher than usual tone, which reminds her of Henry's excitement early this morning when asking to open his gifts. The answer is right there but unable to be grasped, like that poor quality wrapping tape Emma bought on offer to "_save some dough_?!"

"**APPLES**!"

She burst out suddenly, **finally** plucking the smell memory out of her mind, which incidentally is how she feels at this moment. Shaking her head and chiding herself inwardly for her unusual lack of concentration.

"Yup, . . Apples remind me of everything we've been through together . . . "

She hears the sincerely spoken words next to her ear and softly smiles and upon absorbing the next ones, produces a feline grin, almost as wide as the Cheshire Cat's!

"an' 'sides they're soooo tasty 'Gina, just like **YOU**!"

On the final well-emphasized word, the material covering her eyes is swiftly removed with deft hands and ravenous lips on hers a split second later as her eyes blink rapidly, then close languidly as she melts into the stooping blonde. Hands grasp her hips and slide around her waist from above, as Regina runs her expert fingers up her lover's defined arms, across her sensitive collarbone and along her warm neck, through the cascade of blonde hair and reaches to connect her own hands to pull her in further.

Their tongues rhythmically dance together like fighting cobras, both hearts' beating in time and their hunger for one another growing every moment that passes. Searching hands landing on a delicate jaw and lips withdraw with hesitation.

Emma's turquoise eyes blown as she stares into Regina's chestnut ones that shimmer in desire. Their breathing slows gradually and Emma moves to her side, both have smug smiles painted on their faces.

Regina wills herself to focus and takes in the snow scene before her, molding all the details into her memory. A large frozen lake lay out in front of her like a melted silver coin and a clear and starry, starry night sky with the full moon at the centre as its picturesque backdrop.

Tall, gnarled trees sat around and seem to be guarding the lake making her feel as though they were in their own private land, which had been improved on nature by her lover's fair hand. She turns to Emma who watches her intently, as though relishing every moment, arms she knows so well crossed lazily over her now calmer rising chest, where a clipped on torch still shines. She stands to the left of Regina, on the hard earth beneath her winter boots.

Nearby the tree's sturdy bare limbs, hold many cylindrically shaped white paper lanterns, like puppets on their strings, they sway in time with the slight breeze, their cast light ghost-like, which reminds her of this world's "Will O' the Wisp". Clusters of large white and lilac colored candles, no doubt sweetly scented, with flames flickering like ribbons, sat on various carved wooden stools, dispersed on the ice and earth ahead. She realizes they create a simple but effective heart shape and she glances down to where she sits on her . . .

. . . THRONE! Fashioned from solid oak, it was the epitome of fine workmanship. It amazes Regina how similar the design is to ones from her memory, the storytellers here know **so** much about her world. She laughs inwardly as she thinks that it's a shame these people didn't just concentrate on getting all the **important** facts right!

A hand closing over her left pulls her from her ruminating and feels their fingers entwine, she feels Emma's magical energy building and coursing into her, through her every cell. She knows the woman she loves has been improving her skills, but the inner swirling she feels from her touch, is extremely reminiscent of the intense passion they share and she finds it difficult to differentiate, between the spell and her love for Emma.

The blonde seems distracted looking out onto the no doubt thick ice sheet, on which she believes they will skate later if the boots laid out are any indication. Regina follows the other set of eyes, which flit to the center of the heart. As she too watches, a translucent shape emerges as though finishing its forage for food, from the white ironed blanket. Its poised body a hue of blues, with sparkling turquoise flecks on slender neck and wing tips. It's proud bill, golden like sun soaked corn with a glimmering speckled sheen.

The spell created swan glides towards her as though on water, its graceful neck moving in time seemingly with hidden webbed feet. The creature continues onto land silently, with ease, turns a circle and sits to stop, wings poised to open, the gleaming feathers spreading with a splendor that puts Regina in to an awe-like trance as they reveal their hidden treasure.

Lay delicately on the swans back, a gold ring as intricately designed as a snowflake, with a sapphire stone carved into a heart. Regina's own heart is in her bewitching mouth and she looks down, at Emma now on one jean clad knee beside her and mirrors her shy smile.

"'Gina honey, you know I'm not eloquent or whatever right, but I gotta say something and I want you to just, ya know . . . **LISTEN** okay?!"

Emma began after squeezing Regina's hand quickly, then collecting the gloriously beautiful band with her left finger and thumb, nervously adding.

"And **DON'T** laugh 'kay, this is like major shhh . . . stuff for me, soooo here goes nothin'!"

Emma now gazes in sheer reverence at Regina whose heart has never felt so full of love, all from turquoise eyes and a held hand. In front of the Queens throne and her kneeling knight, the glowing swan takes off lifting its wings to propel it further into the air. Emma was visibly shaking, holding the ring firmly still as though it is the most important item in her world. Her eyes tell her honestly, who the **person** is without question. Emma speaks now in a voice that seems to calm the longer their eyes meet.

"I was lost until Henry found me and I totally owe him big time 'coz he led me to **YOU**! . .

. . I was once told that **TRUE LOVE** is the most powerful magic of all and so I worked on this spell to kinda show it! . .

. . Sooo, everything I feel for you is in your heart now as you are everything in **mine**! .

. . **I LOVE YOU** Regina! Will you marry me?"

Emma looks at Regina with **so** much hope and love in her eyes that she feels happier than **ever** before in her truly loved and loving heart. She knows that the spell is now complete and will remain for as long as they stay together. If Henry and Emma had not opened her heart, it would have never been possible, but she did not want go into **ifs** right now, she too had something to say!

"**YES** Emma, I **WILL** marry you!"

She laughs heartily at her true loves face, which consists of wide green globes and gaping mouth. She wriggles her ring finger wickedly smirking. She hears whispers and low voices and knows the others had arrived, she's glad Henry's here to share in their little plans success. She didn't know its name but she planned on being informed of all the details **after** she had revived her fiancée from her daze. Perhaps she should give the unexpected company something else to occupy their eyes, while she occupies . . .

Her attention turned to Emma, who is smiling fully now, her eyes dazzling in the candlelight and much more aware of the answer to her highly anticipated question.

"**SURPRISE** Dear!"

In the distance, the swan silhouette dances on the face of the moon.

With the once Queen's last words, true loves powerful magic bursts into bloom.

Night sky displays glittering crown above, sparkling Saviour's wings below.

While over their royal heads, roll white clouds and so it begins to snow.

**The End.**

_Make my Christmas wish come true,_

_I shall grin if you review!_


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